New flounder Regulations

[BangBang]

I have a question, so there is a what ever size limit 14-17 inches. If your gigging them, once you stick them and find they are short you put them back in the water, I can’t imagine many would make ? I know how hard it is to judge a fish in the water and a 14” could easily be 12”. And it would be easy to mistake a 12” even for a 15” I would think. I’ve been fly fishing for carp and many times it looks like a big fish and it turns out much smaller. And the opposite is true to, many times I think 7-8 pounds and they are 13-14 lbs.

My wading shoes are about 13" long on the sole. Usually can step right next to them and judge if they are 1-2" longer than my shoe. When in question, I just move along. There's only a tater chip of a fillet on the white side from 14-17".

[justletmein]

My wading shoes are about 13" long on the sole. Usually can step right next to them and judge if they are 1-2" longer than my shoe. When in question, I just move along. There's only a tater chip of a fillet on the white side from 14-17".

Last year I stood over one mulling it over for a solid two minutes at least, agonizing whether it was legal or not. I stabbed it... immediately walked it back to the boat to measure as I was nervous. It measured 19 freaking inches. LOL... We don't gig all that much and I guess I didn't have good enough beer goggles yet for that one. I tend to way overestimate the size to be extra safe.

[jds247]

LA is going through the same thing and there will probably be changes over there and for trout as well.

I'm sure they are but the limit will still be more than Texas limits..

[BangBang]

Last year I stood over one mulling it over for a solid two minutes at least, agonizing whether it was legal or not. I stabbed it... immediately walked it back to the boat to measure as I was nervous. It measured 19 freaking inches. LOL... We don't gig all that much and I guess I didn't have good enough beer goggles yet for that one. I tend to way overestimate the size to be extra safe.

Yep, I've gigged many that I thought were 15" and ended up being solid 18+ fish. Depends on how deep they are buried. Always a guessing game when you only see 2 eyes and a deep V for the mouth. Also, I wear a beer snorkel when I gig, not just the goggles. Nothing more relaxing than a deserted bay on a clear night. I probably would gig more flounder if I would stop looking at the stars.

[rvd]

If you watched or listened to any of the flounder scoping meetings, commercial take of flounder was such a small number it wasn’t even factored in.

This correct.

I’m still a cca member but am not pleased with all that they do, actually never was. Joined flatsworthy, like some of what they believe but not everything either. Older I get the more conservation minded I seem to be, really want my grandkids to get to experience the stuff I have.

[El General]

The problem is that CCA is now a national organization, and it's full of northern liberals.

The statement above is not true. CCA Texas and National headquarters is in Houston in the same building. The same people that run CCA Texas run CCA National. They are all recreational anglers. The chairman of CCA National is a long time CCA Texas state board member and management committee member from San Antonio.

CCA National's executive director is from Houston and a former fishing guide and current recreational angler.

CCA Texas executive director is from Houston and a recreational angler.

CCA does not represent or advocate for the commercial fishing industry.

CCA's influence over Texas Parks and Wildlife is wildly overstated on this thread.

[Capt.Brown]

Good

[El General]

TPWD's presentation from the flounder scoping meetings is attached for anyone curious on the data used to come up with the proposals. I'd note the last two pages where a November and December closure along with an increased size limit shows a projected 58-60% increase in spawning biomass.

There are many contributing problems to flounder numbers, but the biggest problem is gulf water temperatures. Flounder are very susceptible to sea water temperatures getting out of a small range in the first three weeks.

Post metamorphisis temps that are in the ideal range result in a 50-50 distribution between males and females. Seawater temperature that are too warm lead to mostly male fish (up to 94% of the fish being male). Male fish grow to 10-12" and spend most of their life in the gulf.

The fish you catch in the bay are female fish.

[El General]

And, for those advocating game fish status for flounder, TPWD does not have the authority to do that. That has to be done by passing a bill through the Texas legislature.

[88 Bound]

I'm sure they are but the limit will still be more than Texas limits..

Apples to oranges there bud... you can't fairly compare bag limits until you have the same populations of fish in each state.

[kyle1974]

New flounder Regulations

The statement above is not true. CCA Texas and National headquarters is in Houston in the same building. The same people that run CCA Texas run CCA National. They are all recreational anglers. The chairman of CCA National is a long time CCA Texas state board member and management committee member from San Antonio.

CCA National's executive director is from Houston and a former fishing guide and current recreational angler.

CCA Texas executive director is from Houston and a recreational angler.

CCA does not represent or advocate for the commercial fishing industry.

CCA's influence over Texas Parks and Wildlife is wildly overstated on this thread.

Maybe I’m wrong about where they’re from but I’ve been to enough scoping meetings to hear the same “killing the last buffalo” mantra. I also know people from Texas that are hardcore left associated with CCA, like the remnants of the wade paddle and pole group.

As for CCA not influencing TPW... come on man. They are THE main influence. They picked up the “just keep 5” lingo several years back and pushed it relentlessly to TPW. Even though TPW state’s the surveys didn’t dictate the limit should be lowered, they lowered it based on public opinion, mostly derived from CCA voices.

Let’s not even go into the ironic hypocrisy of the conservation association sponsoring the biggest big trout killing tournament in the United States.

[Dave]

Thank you for posting that El General.

If you look at those retention numbers and don't come to the conclusion that something dramatic needs to be done then you need to seriously reassess your interests as a sportsman.

I like to fish for flounder as much as the next guy and love a good stuffed flounder. But even in my relatively limited time fishing on the gulf coast I have seen decline in the numbers and size of flounder being caught.

Good stewardship can and will preserve this resource.

[El General]

Maybe I’m wrong about where they’re from but I’ve been to enough scoping meetings to hear the same “killing the last buffalo” mantra. I also know people from Texas that are hardcore left associated with CCA, like the tenants of the wade paddle and pole group.

The wade paddle and pole guys are pretty anti CCA, or at least the ones I knew were. They all thought CCA was way too conservative. The people that run CCA at the state and national level in Texas are all conservative. I know them personally. I am sure there are people on local chapters that aren't conservative, but their role is fund raising, not policy.

[El General]

Maybe I’m wrong about where they’re from but I’ve been to enough scoping meetings to hear the same “killing the last buffalo” mantra. I also know people from Texas that are hardcore left associated with CCA, like the tenants of the wade paddle and pole group.

As for CCA not influencing TPW... come on man. They are THE main influence. They picked up the “just keep 5” lingo several years back and pushed it relentlessly to TPW. Even though TPW state’s the surveys didn’t dictate the limit should be lowered, they lowered it based on public opinion, mostly derived from CCA voices.

The tail doesn't wag the dog. CCA has never gotten TPWD to do anything that it didn't want to do.

[kyle1974]

Then what’s their purpose if they can’t influence the regulatory agency that’s aligned with their area of focus?